kind of Protestation and proof also of the Moderation of our Church That if our Dissenting Brethren will but please to come near and view such fair and open testimonies as I have enumerated some sympathy with so just a temper may help to cool some of those Calentures to asswage and allay some of those unreasonable disorders which have discomposed the minds of many at present adverse to our Peace That while so remarkable a part of our Churches beauty appears from such a lifting up of her Veil so gentle and chearful an aspect may we hope win over some of those into better esteem of our Communion whom any Symmetry can affect whom any Moderation can overcome if they are not already irreconcilable that so the mildness and gentleness of our Church may no longer aggravate their separation with so much the more injustice unthankfulness and disingenuity even as the Moderation of our Church and Government renders the attempts of such Romanists as are concerned in them not only more scandalous and pernicious but most impious horrid and execrable As for others among us who sometime have appeared weary of their contests however unsetled hovering as it were in some motions for Union and frequently are toiling themselves in tedious contemplations of new Plots and Schemes of Government framing to themselves Idea's not very Platonical for peace and settlement I conceive a seasonable conviction among such of the real Moderation of our Church might save some of them their grievous labours for the future for how deficient they generally have been they themselves have shewed and if our Church is very moderate already I need not say they have been very superfluous There are indeed those who are still requiring that the Protestant Profession among us be setled in a due Latitude whereas we sincerely think the very thing desired is already the true temperament of our Church and such also as in no sort encourageth any indifferency or neutrality in Religion nor offers any such Principles to her Sons as allows them Proteus or Vertumnus like to be susceptible of divers shapes and forms in Religion as our Adversaries who do not understand our Church do suspect whereas the more any are fixed according to the right Principles of our Church the truer and firmer Protestants such are we shall manifestly prove and the more any are such the more truly moderate they are and their designs for peace must needs be the most discreet of any and the more to purpose So great a blessing I confess is less to be hoped for so long as the Masters of Factions have got such a mighty Dominion over the minds of their followers and have so far entangled them in their own passions and prejudices neither is it any wonder that noise and passion and hardy confidence iced over with some sanctimonious pretences can engage the affections of the vulgar more than ingenuity and real Moderation and when once this humour obtains of disaffecting what is setled with a lust after Novelties if what some love to call the pattern in the Mount should slide down from Heaven in the midst of them it would not continue long in favour and therefore no wonder if the Church of England is antiquated among such who are for new Modes in Ecclesiastical matters to gratify their sickly phansies and most divided interests While this affection is thus cherisht and thus kept up the mischief on 't is as when we preach such Doctrines as the duty of Communion with the Church and the like they generally are most absent whom the same concerns most so all testimonies which are brought in the cause of Gods Church are seldom taken notice of by such whom they are most proper to convince among the Romanists and the Separatists the Keepers of the peoples understandings not suffering them to peruse what may awaken or enlighten them and the more proper any thing is for that purpose the more industrious are they slily to stifle the reputation of such endeavours However I think it but just to vindicate unto publick authority the same fair interpretations which all private persons would gladly have for what they say or do and where the Church hath given mild interpretations on purpose for the general satisfaction of all it is but reasonable to make recognition of the same and when they are perversly wrested fairly to set them forth and certainly it is our duty to consider publick appointments which oblige us with all respect to their true ends and measures equally represented and it may be thought but a debt of gratitude for us to acknowledge such Liberties and Indulgences as we enjoy and to defend from malignant detractions the just wisdom of the Church in its excellent poise between undue extremes And so long as I have uprightly designed so just a duty the easy foresight of many ignorant or malicious exceptions hath not dasht me out of countenance but excited me and the more because I hope I have not only endeavoured to set forth the Moderation of the Church but to imitate the same In so much that where any thing is spoken to our Adversaries in our own defence I hope it hath not taken example from their own intemperate heats and since the Son of Syrach hath bid us Eccl. 37. 11. Not consult with a coward in matters of war nor with an envious man of unthankfulness nor with an unmerciful man touching kindness we despair to communicate advice of the Churches mildness with those who are of unmerciful tempers themselves therefore the more need we have all as well as we can to confirm one another in the recognition of those Virtues which justify the wisdom of our Church and afford our selves greater satisfaction in our Conformity although some are continually of such disturbed Spirits uneasy to themselves and morose they can seldom allow any time to reflect chearfully and thankfully upon the blessings they enjoy however they may give us leave to delight our selves in the serious contemplation of such proportions and measures as in the frame of our Church are most observable Which cannot but afford a rare and serious pleasure as well as use as it must be very delightful to behold any imitation of the Divine Wisdom which hath made all things in number weight and measure which governs the World and all his Creatures according to unsearchable measures of Righteousness and Equity who dispenseth all things sweetly and easily The more any Civil or Ecclesiastical Governments partake of such proportions it cannot but afford a fine and delicate reflection to find them out and admire them Such is the lovely prospect which we cannot but with delight take on the goodly frame and constitution of our Church of England Suitable to the rare temper of our excellent Monarchy we live under and the most benign disposition of our Laws which give very much to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 27. subjects industry liberty and happiness and yet reserve
measures namely leave to determine their particular actions according to the general Rule of Holy Scriptures and sometimes of Prudence where other Laws are not given to determine their Liberty And indeed this Article of the sufficiency of the Scriptures and the use of them as a Rule is the very dividing point at which those of the Separation on either hand leave our Church and her Moderation at once For those who are ready on one hand to receive all Traditions which the Church of Rome can offer with affection and reverence equal to the written word of God so that as it is in our Homily c Homily of good works 3 d. Part. The Laws of Rome as they said were to be received of all men as the four Evangelists No Moderation can contain the extravagancies such belief leads them to On the other hand to accept of no appointment for outward order and government in the Church or Kingdom but what is set out in the express word of God for the direction of every particular action under pretence of defending Christian Liberty is verily so gross and unreasonable a Pharisaical confining it that this principle is the first Sanctuary of ignorance and disobedience in most of our Separatists who under an immoderate pretence to Religion and the honour of Scriptures really offer great abuse and disservice to both as it is a real abuse to a person though of honour to give him Titles which do not belong to him so it is an occasion to Atheists and prophane persons captiously to detract from the true perfection of Holy Writings when they find attributed to them such Titles as are false and imaginary We must take heed saith the judicious Hooker d Eccles Pol. l. 3. §. 8. lest in attributing to Scripture more than it can have the incredibility of that do cause even those things which it hath most abundantly to be less reverently esteemed On this foundation of our Churches Moderation in what she judgeth concerning the perfection of Holy Scripture both the Protestant and the Christian Religion is established For as Bishop Sanderson saith e Pref. to his Sermons The main Article of the Protestant Religion is The Holy Scriptures are a perfect Rule of Faith and manners so the very mystery of Puritanism is That no man may with a safe Conscience do any thing for which there may not be produced either command or example in Scripture § 3. We are to note the Moderation of the Church in her judgment of the letter and sense of Holy Scripture and in the use of such consequences as are duly drawn from thence Whereas the Romanists 1. look on the letter of Holy Scripture but as so many dead and unsensed Characters f Richworth's Dialogues J. S. Sure-footing of variable and uncertain signification g Niâ— Cusâ—nus Card. Ep. 7. ad â—â—hem 2. They make the sense of Scripture entirely depend on the Authority of their Church h V. Concil Trid. Sess 4. Decret de usu S. Scr. 3. They presume the Church of Rome only can make authentick all the Books of Holy Scripture i Nullum Capitulum nullusque liber Canonicus habetur absque illius authoritate Greg. 7. Dict. 16. in Concil Rom. and by her sole Authority is to determine which are to be Canonical 4. They will not allow the clear consequences of Scripture to prove any matter of doctrine k V. Discourse upon a Conference Apr. 3. 1676. In these as in many other instances our Sectaries generally agree with the Romanists 1. They also make the Holy Scripture a dead Letter without their interpretation 2. In making the sense which they vouch to be the Word of God 3. Such Scriptures as seem to serve their turn they allow others they reject 4. The clear consequences from Holy Scriptures against them they cast by as only the results of carnal reason Between these two opposers of Holy Scripture at present there appears this difference instead of an external infallible Interpreter on one side the other sets up the witness of their own private spirit for an infallible interpreter also When time serves They that make the difference can compromise it Amidst these extremes observe we the Wisdom and Moderation of the Church of England 1. It gives all due honour to the Letter of Holy Writ referring her self and her Sons chiefly to the Originals l V. B. of Homilies passim Caeterùm in lectione D. Scripturarum si quae occurrerint ambigua vel obscura in V. Test earum interpretatio ex fonte Hebraicae veritatis petatur in N. autem Graeci codices consulantur Reform Leg. Eccles de fide Cathol c. 12. using all care in keeping the Letter of Holy Scripture and preserving the Originals and setting them forth correctly and translating them as faithfully as may be 2. The sense of Scripture our Church accounteth chiefly as Scripture viz. The Word of God therein The mind of God being thought by our Church to consist not in words but in sense For is the Kingdom of God words and syllables m Translators of the Bible Pres 3. The clear consequences in Scripture are in our Church accounted a good proof in matters of doubtful Doctrine Whatsoever is not read therein nor proved thereby is not to be required saith our sixth Article Wherefore Mr Chillingworth n Chillingworth 's Pref. § 28. did not without reason thus declare I profess sincerely I believe all those Books of Scripture which the Church of England accounts Canonical to be the infallible word of God I believe all things evidently contained in them or even probably deducible from them o Simpliciter necessaria Rex appellat quae vel expressè Verbum Dei praecipit vel ex verbo Dei necessaria Consequentiâ vetus Ecclesia elicuit Rex Jacobus ad Card. Perr § 4. In our Church no one Version nor more are made equal much less superiour to the original Nothing is declared authentick but what is judged truly and originally so Although the Church of Rome hath declared the vulgar Translation to be only the authentick Scripture p Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Decr. 2. according to which all points in Question are to be decided and though the same in our Church hath been convinced by sundry learned men of some imperfections yet wherein it is most faithfully performed the innovations of Popery even from thence may be sufficiently manifested Other ancient Versions and Translations which have been of Holy Scripture our Church is so far from rejecting or undervaluing that it hath made great use of them and doth constantly acknowledge their usefulness and doth esteem them according to their antiquity and the approbation they have had in the Church of God Yea in the worst of our late times when the true Church of England was most of all accused of Popery and opposition to the Scriptures then were sundry learned and religious Sons of the Church diligently
for reading the holy Scripture is made agreeable to the mind and purpose of the old Fathers and a great deal more profitable and commodious It is more profitable because there are left out many things whereof some are untrue some uncertain some vain and superstitious and nothing is ordained to be read but the very pure word of God the holy Scriptures or that which is agreeable to the same and that in such a language and order as is most easy and plain for the understanding both of the Readers and the hearers It is also more commodious both for the shortness thereof and for the plainness of the order and that the rules be few and easy Since the Reformation those who love not to be contain'd in any good bounds when they read the Bible chuse to do it out of all Canonical Order or generally snap upon the Chapters fortuitously or affect for their most common reading the most difficult Books and Chapters The wisdom of our Church hath provided that the Old Testament may be read out every Year once f Tale aliquid audio esse nunc in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ in quâ Psalterium singulis mensibus al solvitur totum utrumque Testamentum unico anno continuatâ lectione percurritur Vtinam reliquae Ecclesiae reformatae c. Spalaâ—ensis l. 7. c. 12. All the Psalms once every Month and the New Testament thrice every Year g V. The Order how the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read Yet with this Moderation some difficult and very mysterious places are excepted Yet so that the Church declares Though the rehearsal of the Genealogies and Pedigrees of the Fathers be not so much to the edification of the plain ignorant people Yet there is nothing so impertinently uttered in all the whole Book of the Bible but may serve to spiritual purpose in some respect to all such as will bestow their labours to search out the meaning h Homily of certain places of Scripture 2d Part. Thus manifest is it that our Church doth really intend edification in her Institutions and can the wit of man i B. Jer. Taylor Pref. to his Collection of Offices conceive a better temper and expedient than this of the Church of England that such Scriptures only and principally should be laid before them in daily Offices which contain in them all the mysteries of our Redemption and all the Rules of good Life That the people of the Church may not complain that the Fountains of our Salvation are stopt from them nor the Rulers of the Church that the mysteriousness of Scripture is abused And further to prevent the inconvenience of the vulgars use of Scripture there was a wholsome Injunction of Queen Elizabeth k 1559 §. 37. fit here to be mentioned That no man should talk or reason of Holy Scripture rashly or contentiously nor maintain any false doctrine or errour but shall commune on the same when occasion is given reverently humbly and in the fear of God for his comfort and better understanding For as it is in the Homily against contention Too many there be which upon Ale-benches and other places delight to set forth certain Questions not so much pertaining to edification as to Vain-glory whence they fall to chiding and contention With reference to which Injunction it was that some Bishops in their Articles of enquiry had this for a Question Whether any were known in their Diocese who profaned the Holy Scripture in Table-talk which was captiously misunderstood by many in their intemperate heats against the Bishops as if they thereby did forbid all sober Conference on any places of Holy Scripture whereas the Injunction of the Queen which ought still to have effect should reasonably interpret their enquiry which certainly was the ground thereof Besides many of those Bishops themselves when Masters of Colledges in the Universities observed and caused to be observed those Statutes which in most Colledges require reading of Scripture at Meals Ordering that Communication which is thereon to be such as in the Queens Injunction was before-mentioned § 7. Our Church according to great wisdom hath received such Books as Canonical of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church l 39. Article 6. Scio tamen Vualdensem tenere quod declarandi approbandi Libros sacros sit in serie Patrum omnium fidelium ab Apostolis succedentium Fr. S. Clara. ad Artic. Confess Angl. 6. rejecting what truly are not of the Canon which the Church of Rome thrusts in of its own head and doth not leave out any which are as many have done in other times and places In relation to those Books whose Title is the Apocrypha the Moderation of our Church expresseth an excellent temper 1. In that in their Title as of uncertain Writings they are distinguisht from Canonical 2. All the Apocryphal Books are not recommended to be read in the Church 3. Nor on all days particularly not on the Lords Day as such 4. Those our Church doth use together with other Canonical Scripture as it plainly and publickly declares in her sixth Article of Religion and as St Hierom saith m S. Hier. Pres ad â—ild V. Eâ—â—phan c. 〈◊〉 for example of life and instruction of manners as Clemens Romanus to the Corinthians and other such Writings were read in the ancient Church n Sunt alii libri qui leguntur quidem sed nonscribuntur in Canone H. de S. Vic. Cap. 6. de scripturis c. but doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine as if they had such authority alone by themselves Our Church indeed doth prefer them before any other Ecclesiastical or private Writings because of the many excellent and sacred instructions in them for which good and religious use which may be made of them by all we do them the honour to bind them up with our Bibles though we make them not of equal authority thereby or of divine inspiration as we do not also either the English Meeter of the Psalms or the Epistle of the Translators of the Bible § 8. The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures our Church according to great wisdom doth rather take for granted than labour much to prove such an undoubted principle of Religion justly supposing there is no reason either to question that the Church hath surely received those Divine Oracles or surely delivered them and therefore our sixth Article speaks of them as of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church Our Church justly thus supposing immediately therefore applies her self in an Exhortation to a diligent reading the Holy Scriptures Homily 1. and so long as those of her Communion are by any just means convinced of their authority our Church according to a great Moderation leaves it to the Providence of God by what particular arguments of the many which lie before us we may come to this satisfaction Not causing the satisfaction of any to depend upon one sort
principal motives why we rejected the Papacy was the constant Tradition of the Vniversal Church § 5. Concerning our Churches own Testimony Her Modesty and Moderation hath been always exemplary so far from assuming the Title of Catholick to her self only as St Austin tells us the Arians did and since them the Romanists c S. Aug. Ep. 48. ad Vincen. That she hath counted it a sufficient honour to be an humble and nevertheless for that eminent Member of the Universal Church and with her a Witness and Keeper of Holy Writ and though she vindicates to her self an authority to interpret the Holy Scripture within the bounds of her own Discipline for the edification of her own Family in Truth and Love and also asserts to her self an Authority in Controversies of Faith Article 20. namely for the avoiding diversities of opinions and for the establishing consent touching true Religion yet I cannot well omit to observe the wise modesty of our Church in her asserting her own authority in Controversies of Faith which expression I may have leave to illustrate from such another instance of Wisdom and Moderation in the recognition required to be made of the Kings Supremacy in our subscription according to the 36. Canon and in our Prayers wherein we acknowledge Him Supreme Governour of this Realm in all Causes and over all Persons It is not said over all Causes as over all persons forasmuch as in some Causes Christian Kings do not deny some spiritual power of Gods Church distinct from its temporal Authority which yet refers to the King as their Supreme Keeper Moderator and Governour Even so the Church declares her Authority in Controversies of Faith not that the Church of England or any other Church no not the Universal Church hath power to make any thing which is in controversy matter of Faith which God hath not so made The Church owns that she hath no power against the truth but for the truth Neither may it expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Article 20. But she hath power to declare her own sense in the Controversy and that I may express my own meaning in better words than my own d Pref. of Bishop Sparrow's Collection of Eccl. Records c. To determine which part shall be received and profest for truth by her own Members and that too under Ecclesiastical penalty and censure which they accordingly are bound to submit to not as an infallible verity but as a probable truth and rest in her determination till it be made plain by as great authority that this her determination is an error or if they shall think it so by the weight of such reasons as are privately suggested to them yet are they still obliged to silence and peace where the decision of a particular Church is not against the Doctrine of the Vniversal Not to profess in this case against the Churches determination because the professing of such a controverted truth is not necessary but the preservation of the peace and unity of the Church is is not to assert infallibility in the Church but authority Wherefore Mr Chilingworth e Chilingw Pres §. 28. had very just reason to declare Whatsoever hath been held necessary to salvation either by the Catholick Church of all Ages or by the consent of Fathers measured by Vincentius Lirinensis his Rule or is held necessary either by the Catholick Church of this Age or by the consent of Protestants or even by the Church of England That against the Socinians and all others whatsoever I do verily believe and embrace Whereas the Pope and Church of Rome do challenge to themselves an authority supreme over all Causes and Persons by their Infallibility by which they exclude all others from their peace and themselves from emendation Neither are their followers much in the way thereunto by what Card. Bellarmine doth assert of this supreme Authority If the Pope saith he f C. Bellarm de Pontif. Ro. l. 4. c. 5. should err in commanding any Vices or forbidding any Vertues The Church is bound to believe those Vices are good and those Vertues are evil unless it would sin against Conscience g In bono sensu dedit Christus Petro potestatem saciendi de peccato non peccatum de non peccato peccatum c. Bell. c. 31. in Barklaium However in his Recognitions h Locuti sumus de actibus dubiis viâ—tâ—tum aut vitiorum Recogn operum c. B. p. 19. he minceth the matter in a distinction of doubtful and manifest Vices and Vertues O Blessed Guides of Souls How did the Illustrious Cardinal miss being Canoniz'd for that glorious Sentence and to help him for a Miracle to qualify him for an Apotheosis why did not some cry out of it So many words so many Miracles Thus many of the Romanists make the Pope such a Monarch in the Church as Mr Hobbs doth his Prince in the State i Hobbesius de Cive c. 7. art 26. c. 12. art 1. The interpretation of Holy Scripture the right of determining all Controversies to fix the rules of good and evil just and unjust honest and dishonest doth depend on his authority in the power of whom is the chief Government But this Doctrine is as bad Philosophy as that of the Cardinals is Divinity Among these excesses let us not forget the Moderation of our Church which holds she may revise what hath slipt from her wherefore in her 19. Article she declares As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred a charge agreeable to the Moderation of our Church considering what might have been further said which by the same proportions of reason she supposeth true of her self and of all others viz. That they are fallible and may erre § 6. Of the use of Reason with Reference to divine matters there may be elsewhere occasions in this Treatise to discourse * Ch. 6. §. 9 10. Yet here it is to be observed our Church doth not make its own reason a rule of Faith nor the sole Interpreter of Scripture much less the reason of private men yet because mankind hath no reasonable expectation of Miracles especially when ordinary means are sufficient and abounding and because the Holy Spirit of God in the testimony of his Church hath all along certainly conveyed to us the sense of many places beside That what is most needful to be heeded is very plain our Church doth allow and suppose rational mens perceiveing the sense of Scripture by the due use of their understanding which practice must also necessarily engage such to a high regard of what was anciently received in the Catholick Church For as nothing is held among us more agreeable to reason than our Religion so in expounding our Religion and in interpreting Scripture our Church makes use of the best and the truest reasons as is manifest in what she declares and enjoins and
are innumerable arguments which convince us of the certainty of the Divine Testimony in the matters we have received yet such is the Moderation of our Church she doth not require every one in her Communion necessarily to know and receive all the reasons of certainty which are and may be given nor yet to rely on one to the neglect of another but leaves us to be satisfied according to the means and opportunities which we have abundantly offered unto us justly supposing there are so many reasons perswading the truth of what we believe that some are convinced by some others by others as the Providence of God disposeth things 3. Our Church no where makes infallible certainty of assent a necessary condition of Faith it being sufficient to make our Faith certain if our Rule be infallible and that applyed with moral evidence that is such an evidence as we can have of things and actions past as is sufficient to guide and govern our manners and behaviour Some of late have contended with very ill success that an infallible certainty of assent is necessarily wrought by demonstration and what they love to call scientific Evidence in every Believer which doctrine of J. S. is condemned by his Adversaries even of Rome p Animadv P. Talboti Arch. Dubl in Prop. 2. p. 54. as the pith of Manicheism because it lays this burden on the Church or an Oecumenical Council evidently to demonstrate its own infallibility If destroying the first foundation of the Roman infallibility were all we might dispense with that inconvenience as it renders their motives of credibility insufficient which before the doctrine of infallibility is received used to be the only way they had to recommend the Church of Rome to the approbation of Proselytes but to affirm that all certainty of Christian Faith is generally wrought by such demonstration in case that doctrine proves false the consequence is If Christian Faith have no other certainty Christianity it self is left uncertain in its very foundations Others there are who deliver that an infallible certainty of assent wrought only by the immediate extraordinary operation of the Spirit of God is necessarily in every true Believer Now though our Church doth as much as any can do own the necessity of Gods Grace and holy Spirit to prevent assist and follow us especially in what concerns divine matters yet our Church is not so bold with the Holy Spirit of God to affirm that such an inward testimony of the Divine Spirit working together in our Spirits an infallible assent is so necessary to assure us of the certainty of Faith and of the authority of Holy Scriptures and of the truth of other Doctrines in question as without which we could have no such belief as is required to Salvation Which precarious presumption tends to render useless all those sufficient evidences we have of Divine truth by the gracious means which God hath appointed ordinary in his Church and whereas the assertors of this extraordinary spirit exclude all other means of real certainty as insufficient such a Doctrine being false must needs tend also to overthrow all Christian Religion Such is the sad consequence of the Doctrines both of Dr I. O. and Mr I. S. in making though on differing grounds an infallible assent necessary to a true belief They agree together also in the injury they do Christian Religion by traducing our Faith as a probable fallible humane natural Faith which are the very words they q V. Dr I. O. Reason of Faith p. 72. Mr I. S. Faith Vindicated both unite in to expose our belief to contempt which is grounded on such evidences as God hath abundantly afforded us to assure us of the truth of his Divine Testimony Which evidences especially in matters of Faith necessary to Salvation since they are so plain and certain Our Church hath always held needless such an infallible guide as the Romanists would impose upon us And for the same reasons that we do not expect any new Revelations nor any ostentation of new miracles necessary to a true Church or true Faith they being superseded by the ordinary means of Faith which are sufficient for the same reasons we cannot presume to expect much less to make necessary to every true belief such extraordinary illapses of the Divine Spirit which makes those who only think they have it think themselves only infallible And thus we may discern how many are led to Popery by the way of Enthusiasm For it is usual for those into whose head Enthusiasm is flown to reel from one extream to another 4. To preserve us from these uncertainties among the very many reasons which we have from rational and moral evidence whereby the truth of the Divine Testimony is confirmed to us abundantly Our Church owns no one greater since the miraculous gifts than the testimony of Gods Church now and in all Ages since Christ and his Apostles time because of the sundry Evidences also which confirm to us the truth of the Churches testimony All which amount to more than high probability for as r â— Lomini Hiâ—l Consul haeres Blacklo P. 2. c. 4. §. 5. Lominus tells J. S. Probability on one side doth not exclude probability also on the opposite side but the reason of moral evidence and certainty doth exclude any probability on the contrary part and that so manifestly that only grievous ignorance and pertinacy can incline a man thereunto § 9. As the Moderation of our Church allows us to be reasonably satisfied of the certainty of our Faith much more are other doctrines so propounded to those of our Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments Notwithstanding our Church doth sufficiently vindicate her own just power and the authority of what she testifies and determines Article 20. 34. c. and by her Canons requires a just submission All care being also taken by the Church to prevent error and dissentions and wresting the Scriptures Canon 34. 49. 139. Yet all is performed among us with a most excellent and golden mean And in that nothing in our Church is determin'd contrary to truth nor the judgment of the Catholick Church nor right reason the Church of England can the better allow her Sons their right to search examine and discern what they must approve Which Bishop Davenant and Bishop Bramhall and some others understand by their judgment of discretion though the word sounds not so pleasing to some Religious Ears because it seems by the use of the phrase in English to incline private persons to a power of refusing what the Church rightly determines which is not to be allowed For as the suffrage of our Church hath been constantly unanimous with that of the Apostle We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth much more ought private persons to be bounded thereby if the Apostles and the Church are The Moderation of the Church will appear the more remarkable if we
reserves him not a right of liberty in Religion but only supposeth that he hath a right of trying examining and using his best judgment in order to the satisfaction of his Conscience which right if he duly useth it will certainly fix him in the true Religion whether that Religion be professed by his Prince or Nation or no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prove or try all things Hold fast that which is good saith the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 21. Here is a right to try examine and judge but no right or liberty in Religion This tryal is only in order to the holding fast that which is good i Dr J. Beaumonts Observations upon the Apology 1665. As the Royal Coyn no one can refuse every one may examine and try the same before he receives it So every Christian keeping himself within the bounds of due obedience and submission to his lawful Superiours hath a judgment of Discretion He may apply the rule of Holy Scripture for his own private instruction comfort edification and direction and for the framing of his Life and belief accordingly The Pastors of the Church have more than this a judgment of direction to expound and interpret the Scriptures to others and out of them to instruct the ignorant c. The Chief Pastors have yet a higher judgment of Jurisdiction to prescribe to enjoin to constitute to reform to censure to condemn to bind to loose judicially authoritatively in their respective charges k Bishop Bramhall's Answer to M. Militeira p. 72. Thus the danger of using a private judgment is prevented If it be further Objected 2. That such a permission is vain because of the impossibility in the vulgar to make use of it We Answer That such a meer ineptitude doth not take away ones right l Vt ratus sit actus pauciora requiruntur quà m ut recta sit actio Grotius de Imperio pag. 111. Beside our Gracious God requires of none otherwise than according to that ability which he hath given Wherefore the Moderation of our Church imitates the grace of God herein which requires nothing necessarily but what is so clearly propounded as to leave all inexcusable and therefore those that have skill to look to themselves in the common business of Life may discern as much as is required Those who have not use of their abilities the Idiotae the Moderation of the Church leaves to the mercy of God and the care of their Governours so far as they are capable for as Origen argues when Celsus objected to the Christians that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Origen c. Celsum l. 1. believe without any reason or examination The contrary thereunto Origen shews at large Yet of the vulgar he saith indeed it is impossible that all people should attain to the reasons of all Doctrines How can he get wisdom who is diligent to give the Kine Fodder c. Eccles 38. 26. Wherefore saith Origen what more compendious way could be contrived to relieve the poor multitude than the plain doctrine of Jesus for this we find by experience that they that before wallowed in Vice thereby now are delivered but why should the Stoicks and Platonists quarrel at Christians for believing when all of them believe those they apply themselves to in the Sect they judge most excellent § 10. So great being the Moderation of our Church because never the less as the temper of men generally now is among us since these licentious times especially have corrupted them the most are very captious of what hath the femblance of priviledge and such also are most apt to neglect their duty It is very great justice and equity that all be convinced of the due submission we also owe to the Church in reference to this matter The sum of which duty I shall lay down in such brief Propositions as are agreeable to an easy reason to infer from the comparing of relations 1. All good Christians who love the Church of God and its Peace will for Truth and Conscience sake hearken to the Church and those set over them on purpose to guide and direct them especially in case of doubt 2. Such will well weigh the moments of reasons which the Church offers and be ready with all due regard to entertain what the Church resolves and readily also approve of those resolutions unless it appear manifestly that such determinations contradict the word of God and the sense of the Universal Church which no good man will unadvisedly conceive much less seek occasions for exception 3. In a doubtful and equal Case such will encline to what is publickly determin'd because of the relation of superiority between the Church and its Members and because of the many great advantages they know the Church hath in its judgment above themselves because also the better any are and the more humble and sincere the more they are prepared to suspect and distrust their own judgments and not to lean unto their own understandings 4. If in any case it should happen that such should differently opine or judge however such will afford a practical submission in many Cases which they may and ought the liberty of their own thoughts remaining which is sufficient if they cannot but dissent Modest and pious persons will upon many occasions have their Faith to themselves and reserve their different apprehensions in a continent silence which is to be wise unto sobriety 5. If before they come to know the judgment of the Church they should go about to divulge their sense in speaking or writing such will do it with submission to the Church and to those to whom is committed the care of censure If there should happen such a lawful and necessary occasion which they cannot avoid to declare their apprehension different from the Church If the dissenter errs and cannot submit with consent he must e'ne bear patiently the inconvenience of his error which if in a less principal matter on this side Heresy and Schism such an infirmity n Aliter sapere quam se res habet humana tentatio est S. Aug. de Bapt. l. 2. and temptation incident to humane nature happen o Qualiter pro hoc ipso falsae opinionis errore in die judicii puniendi sunt nullus potest scire nisi judex Salvianus de gubern Dei c. 11. §. 4. They that would retain their integrity must preserve 1. An entire Charity to others 2. A reverent respect to the Church and as much as is possible an inviolable Communion therewith 3. Such ought to endeavour to comply in other points more diligently 4. Such ought to profess their dissent from the Church with great reluctancy and sorrow 5. They must be very willing to own their error when they are convinced thereof In the mean while they are bound to lay it aside Whereby retaining inviolable Communion with the Church such already being in preparation of mind disposed to renounce their error when they
given which are allowed with which such may be contented as in some cases where some present resolution and practice is required in other matters of less concern where an indifferent variety is allowed but more instances there are of what is left to the discretion of the Ordinary n See the Preface concerning the Service of the Church Canon 53. Second Rubrick before the Preface of the Ceremonies Admon to Min. Eccles before the second Part of the Homilies Sundry Rubricks § 11. Having spoken of the Moderation and Wisdom of the Church in what relates to Sermons because Catechising o Canon 59. 1603. Lib. quor Canonum 1571. is an useful sort of Preaching I cannot but note the Moderation of the Church in framing such a Form of Catechism as the ancient Fathers p S. Aug. de Catechizandis rudibus S. Ambros de iis qui S. Mysteriis initiantur commended So full and comprehensive is the Exposition of the foundations of our Religion and yet without those curious questions which are not needful to trouble the green heads of those who are to be Catechised however which are not to be set forth as fundamental This was the excellent judgment of King James q Conference at Hampton-Court who approved of one uniform Catechism in the fewest and plainest affirmative terms that may be all curious and deep questions being avoided not like the ignorant Catechisms in Scotland set out by every one who was the Son of a good Man Thus the judicious r Pax Ecclesiae p. 54. Bishop Sanderson for the Peace of the Church and to preserve Unity and Charity his third direction is That Catechisms should not be farced with School points and private tenets but contain only clear and undoubted Truths Whereas the Church of Rome and many other Sects have stuft their Catechisms with some of their private opinions even so much that sometimes their Catechisms are not only to contain the sums of Christianity but they are the distinctive notes of their party in maintaining which some of them place so great a part of Religion and therefore no wonder if according to their great wisdom in other things they enamel their Catechisms with what is to them so pretious I shall only here add what Dr Hammond saith of this our Church Catechism ſ Vindication of the ancient Liturgy of the Church of England §. 40. If we would all keep our selves within that Moderation and propose no larger Catalogue of Articles to be believed by all than the Apostles Creed as 't is explain'd in our Catechism and lay greater weight upon the Vow of Baptism and all the Commands of God as they are explain'd by Christ and only add the Explication and use of the Sacraments in those commodious and most intelligible expressions and none other which are there set down I should be confident there would be less hating and damning one another more Piety and Charity and so true Christianity among Christians and Protestants than hitherto hath been met with § 12. This Chapter ought not to be dismissed before we take notice how the interest both of the inward and outward worship of God is according to a just Moderation secured in our Church For 1. In all the Instructions and Precepts of the Church Her designs and intent appear very sincere to promote the worship of God according to his Will Wherefore our Church makes none else partakers of the Divine Worship as neither Saints nor Angels nor the Blessed Virgin The Ceremonies as will be further shewed are not held by our Church as any part of the Divine Worship but only outward signs and helps of Devotion Our Church lays also greatest stress upon the inward affection and intention of the mind as the most necessary and principal part of the Divine Worship as that which only can render all outward expressions of our Honour of God acceptable Because in the affection of the Heart is the consummation of all moral goodness t Actus exterior nihil addit bonitatis aut malitiae actui interiori nisi per accidens D. Tho. 1. 2◠q. 20. Art 4. especially in the worship of God For the best Being is to be served with the most excellent operations of our best Faculties Therefore God who is the most Excellent most Infinite and most pure Spirit must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth in due regard to which just consideration all the Offices of our Church are framed so as to promote chiefly a due sense of God and of the Divine Attributes a Heavenly and spiritual disposition of Mind a real and unaffected Piety a sincere and hearty Devotion For as the Homily saith u Of Holy Scripture first Part. Without a single eye pure intent and good mind nothing is allowed for good before God But notwithstanding the inward worship of the Heart is held most necessary and principal in our Church is instantly required the outward worship of God also as in all acts of outward as well as inward obedience in many of which the affection cannot be sincere without the outward exercise of such acts when they can be performed as in consecrating also a just portion of our time and Estates to the honour of God the humble service of our bodies reverend gestures and behaviour which are but proper and fit to encrease in our selves and others the inward honour of God also In respect to both these parts of worship those who duly honour God may be fitly denominated devout persons But the probable reason why many who call themselves Saints do disdain the name of Devout is because the Attribute of Devotion seems to intimate also the outward reverent behaviour of body as the necessary Companion of the inward integrity of the mind which outward reverence such judge too meanly of Lastly In our Church the worship of God is supposed to proceed not so much from a principle of fear and dread as of love and thankfulness Whereas some in a way to overthrow all Religion have given out That the fear of God is only the dread men have of some unknown arbitrary and uncontroulable power Such a fear they suppose the only motive to the worship of God the only foundation and bond of Justice An Experiment taken up to keep men obedient to Laws The Moderation of our Church governs it self very justly in this matter accounting the due fear of the Soveraignty and power of God very useful to the good as well as the bad to make all heedful and careful in their duty Therefore in the Office of Commination as in many other places also the threats of God against impenitent Sinners are by our Church denounced Yet the first and the chief reason of our worship of God is frequently owned in the Offices of our Church and supposed to be a sense of the Infinite Divine Excellencies and his constant bounty and benefits and gracious goodness to mankind especially in our Lord Jesus
the Church of Rome are multiply'd without Communicants out of which they suck no small advantage q Minuatur ingens turba quotidiè missantium propter saginandum aqualiculum duntaxat Wicelii Meth. Concord c. 5. whereas our Church in great Moderation appoints the Sacraments to be freely administred without any charge for their ministration and also at every Celebration there is required a convenient number of Communicants r 2d Rubr. after H. C. Rubr. before Com. for sick Last Rubr. after H. Com. for the sick as in the Communion for the sick Å¿ 2d Rubr. after the H. C. for the sick Canon 71. 1603. there are always to be three or two at the least except in case of contagion And in case that those who sincerely desire to Communicate are lawfully hindred the Moderation and wisdom of our Church hath prescribed a most pious instruction for the sick person such as may at once most exceedingly satisfy and comfort CHAP. XI Of the Moderation of the Church in reference to other Rites and Usages § 1. The Moderation of the Church in its Judgment and use of Confirmation § 2. Concerning Matrimony allowing her Clergy to marry affording opportunity of voluntary celibacy in our Vniversities according to a commendable moderation Vndue degrees of Marriages and some particular Times forbid c. § 3. In reference to Holy Orders 1. The Moderation of the Church in her Consecrating Ministers 2. In taking care to have them be as they ought to be both before and after Ordination with good effect 3. Yet if not so great as is desired why the Church ought not to be accused 4. In retaining such Orders of Ministers in the Church as are Primitive 5. The Moderate Judgment of the Church concerning such as have been ordain'd in the Church of Rome and elsewhere 6. Our Church endeavours to preserve all due regard to what-ever is consecrated to God 7. The Power of the Keys asserted in our Church with due moderation § 4. Of Penance 1. The Moderation of our Church between those who sleight Penance and those who explain it extravagantly 2. The Confession of our Church which is required is suitable to the design of Repentance 3. The Seal of Confession in our Church is as sacred as it ought to be 4. The use of External Penance in our Church according to due Moderation 5. The use of Absolution in our Church maintained according to a just temper § 5. For Visitation of the Sick 1. The worthy care of the Church therein and some Instances of its Moderation referring thereunto 2. Our Churches care for preparing those who are of her Communion for Death without extreme Vnction in use in the Church of Rome 3. Many Instances of the Moderation of the Church referring to the Burial of the Dead § 1. OUr Church in its judgment and use of Confirmation holds a just Moderation between those who reject the use of it and others who make it a proper * Conc. Tri. Sess 7. Can. 1. de Confir Sacrament It being received as a holy and useful Rite perpetually expedient tho not of necessity to * V. Instit of a Christian Man Salvation With which our Church doth not join Chrism or Unction as in Baptism also we use not Oil there being no mention of either in Scripture or in Primitive Antiquity for such purposes Neither is the baptized Person brought Hic mos fuit ut Christianorum puert-coram Episcopo sisterentur Calvin Inst l. 4. c. 19 § 4. Laudo restitutam in purum usum velim ib. V. Bez. in Hebr. c. 6. to Confirmation till every such a one be of competent years of understanding solemnly to take upon him the obligation entred into in Baptism which being duly performed the Bishop doth impose his Hands on every of them with Prayer and Blessing Which is the order of our Church for the honour and dignity of Episcopacy according to primitive and ancient †Qui in Ecclesiis baptizantur praeposito Ecclesiae offeruntur S. Cypr. ad Jovin practice Altho such is the moderation of our Church that its Presbyters are taken into some society with the Bishop generally in those Ministeries Neither is any in our Professio baptizatorum infantium per susceptores facta in puberibus unà congregatis solemni ritis renovetur VVicelii Meth. Concord c. 4. Canon 60. 61. 1603. Church to be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as they are confirmed or be ready and desirous to be confirmed So wisely moderate is our Church to accept of a true preparation and sincere desire of Confirmation when in some cases it cannot be had either through the lamentable neglect of those who ought to * Si in hoc Eâ—iscoporum negligentia peccatum est hactenus negligentia damnetur nâ—n id quod per se bonum est VVicelii Meth. Concord c. 8. perform it or those who should desire it be performed It was a discipline of the Helvetians to forbid the Bannes of Marriage to such as could not give a good account of their Catechism which soon made all who had a mind to Marriage to be very diligent in learning their Lessons by heart And by a Canon of a * Conc. Bituricens 1584. Council in France None were to be admitted to the Eucharist or †Nec enim alia adversus foediss ignorantiam via restabat nisi Maritalis tori sit is in subsidium Vocaretur Hammondus de Confirm c. 2. §. 11. Matrimony but such who had been Confirmed The same if well lookt into is indeed a Canon also of our ¶ A Book of certain Canons 1571. English Church Especially they shall warn young Folks not only Men but also Women that it is provided by the Laws That none of them may either receive the Holy Communion or be married or undertake for a Child in Baptism except they before have learned the Principles of Christian Religion and can fitly and aptly answer to all the parts of the Catechism Neither is this Rite among us degenerated into a practice of meer Gain and Covetousness as Spalatensis complain'd of the Church of * De Rep. Eccl. l. 5. c. 12. Rome where Confirmation with Chrism is made such a Sacrament as they think confers a greater Grace than the true Sacrament of †V. Chem. Exam. de Confirm p. 69. Baptism But the Moderation of the Church hath restored the Ancient Primitive Rite of Imposition of Hands which for many hundred years hath been extruded from the Romish Confirmation by other superstitious ¶ Libertas Eccles l. 2. c. 4. §. 3. Ceremonies § 2. The Moderation of the Church of England in what relates to Marriage chiefly appears in that it esteems Matrimony honourable in * Dei Ordinationem nulla lex humana nullum votum potest tollere Conf. Aug. all and particularly also in Priests and Ministers of the Church and to make Vows of perpetual Virginity
of England with great Moderation doth profess other reformed Churches generally return to us Which the 30 Canon refers to where it saith This Resolution and Practice of our Church namely not to forsake and reject other Churches only as they depart from the Apostolical Churches particularly with relation to the use of the Cross in Baptism hath bin allowed and approved by the Censure on the Common-Prayer-Book in King Edw. 6. days and by the Harmony of Confessions of later years And it was King James his advice to his Divines to hold a good correspendence with the Neighbour Reformed Churches but saith the King * V. in Apol. Ep. Lectori Non est mihi ingenium in alienâ Rep. curiosum I am resolved to leave other Churches to their liberty And so also K. Charles I. †His Majesty's third Paper to Mr. Henderson As I am no Judg over the Reformed Churches so neither do I censure them § 4. As a special note of our Churche's Moderation we must not forbear to instance her excellent Behaviour and Charity toward the afflicted Greek Church to whom as she hath opportunity she hath testified a great commiseration a most pious affection and a great esteem See the Homily against the peril of Idolatry wherein our Church doth frequently deplore the thraldom of the noble Empire of Greece to the Turk I must needs profess said Arch-Bishop Laud * § 9. p. 26. Vt videant hi qui facilè de haeresi pronuntiant quà m facilè etiam ipsi errent intelligant non esse tam leviter de haeresi pronuntiandum Alph. à Castro Contr. Haer. l. 3. f. 93. that I wish heartily as well as others that those distressed Men had bin more moderately dealt with tho they think diversly from us than they have bin by the Church of Rome C. Bellarmine having delivered that three of their Councils have declared her guilty of Heresy Let the Church of Rome answer for her self if she can for her trampling upon the poor Greek Church as she lies in the Dust and branding her with Heresy for her Doctrine of Procession as cruelly as her Turkish Masters burn their half Moons on the Bodies of those whom they enslave But our Church is not so uncharitable as to define it a Heresy for any to maintain That the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father by the Son tho we maintain as great a Truth that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son but this makes no breach of Communion among us the difference only arising from inadequation of Languages which notwithstanding we agree in the main of this Article * Animadversions on Naked Truth p. 7. Such lastly is the moderation of our Church toward the Greek Church that some of the Greek Bishops and Priests are allowed among us the celebrating Holy Mysteries according to their own Rites * In unâ fide nihil officit Sanctae Ecclesiae Consuetudo diversa Greg. 1. Ep. 41. § 5. Other Churches have not bin by the Church of England despised if in sundry Instances they have not arrived unto her perfection in purity of Doctrine and order of Discipline With other Churches she doth not contend for Title or understanding of Mysteries nor boasts of the Spirit nor calls her self in distinction from other true Churches the Catholic Church as of old the Arians did Lastly The Guides of our Church never challenged to themselves Infallibility Altho our Church of England hath had the peculiar happiness of a Monarchical Reformation and retains the blessing of Episcopal Government yet such is the Moderation of our Church she imputes the want of the same in other Reformed Churches not so much to any fault of those Churches themselves but rather attributes it to the Injury of the Times * Non culpâ vestrâ abesse Episcopatum sed injuria temporum Ep. Winton Ep. 3. Molinaeo Eos coegerit dura necessitas Saravia Our Church also thankfully commemorates those Acknowledgments which the Reformed Churches have frequently made of our Moderation and happy Constitution And altho we remember when it was commonly objected to us That the Pastors of the Reformed Churches abroad took our Conformity to be a Sin Sure the useful labour of D. Jo. Durell hath for ever silenced that vain reproach Who to the whole World in plain and open Testimonies hath now long since * 1662. illustrated the Conformity of the Reformed Churches abroad to our Church of England In matters of Ceremony subordination of Pastors use of set Forms and Liturgie Holy-Days set Times of Fasting magnificent Churches Organs Surplice Church-Ornaments Cross in Baptism receiving the Communion kneeling c. Who hath also proved by Testimonies the practice of those of the Reformed Churches joining with us in our Publick Worship by the advice of their Pastors either when they come over into England or in such of our Congregations as are in their Countries If it happens that any Member of the Reformed Churches speak against the Reformed Church of England he is censured for it by their Synod The Ministers of the Reformed Churches abroad blame those that refuse to Conform to the Church of England when occasion is offered and hold them for Schismatics and are scandalized at them Those few Reformed Churches which want Subordination of Ministers approve the Episcopacy of the Church of England * Certuâ— est mihi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anglicanam item morem imponendi adolescentibus in memoriam Baptismi aâ—toritatem Episcoporum Presbyteria ex soles Pastoribus compâ—siâ—a mulâ—à que alia ejusmodi satis congruere institutis veâ—ustâ—oris Ecclesiae à quibus in Gallià Belgio recessum negare non possumus Grotius Eâ— ad Boâ—t and wish they had the same and would esteem it a singular felicity All which sheweth the amity and good correspondence and concord that is between our Church of England and other Protestant Churches and also justifies exceedingly the excellent Moderation of our Church Indeed our Church of England deserves better the name of Catholic both for her Catholic Charity and especially for that she maintains her Communion upon the Foundations and Principles of Christian Religion both with the Western and Eastern Churches whom the Church of Rome excommunicates from the society of the Mystical Body of Christ limiting the Church to Rome and such places as depend upon it As the Donatists did of old to Afric separating her self also from the Communion of the Churches of Graecia Russia Armenia and all the Protestant Churches Much greater is her Schism for refusing to be a fellow-Member with other Churches in the Vniversal Church of Christ and challenging to be the Head the Root the Fountain of all other Churches * Bishop Bramhals Works p. 990. ¶ Necessity of Reformation p. 145 Yet because they still keep to the main Fundamentals we do not exclude them from the Catholic Church tho by their hard and rigid Censures and Excommunication of us
voluerit ut Scripturis primae deinde primorum soeculorum Episcopis Martâ—ribus Scriptoribus Ecclesiastiâ—is secundae deferrentur Dissert cont Blondel c. 14. § 13. Basis establish the Doctrine of the three Creeds †V. Hist of Reform l. 3. p. 218. Twisden Hist Vind. c. 9. and that the Romish Doctrine of Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration of Relics Invocation of Saints c. is not warranted by Scripture Artic. 22. and then proceed to settle such other things as are of positive right with so just a Moderation as is hardly elsewhere to be found changing nothing for the general but where the practice of their own Ancestors did justify their doings without at all extending themselves to any thing where they had not Antiquity their Warrant * Quod si me conjectura non fallit totius reformationis pars integerrima est in Angliâ ubi cum studio veritatis viget studium antiquitatis If Casaub Ep ad Salmas Anglicanam intelligo omnium reformatorum reformatissimam Forbes Consid Modâ—st Pref. Can we chuse saith Bishop Hall but observe the blessing of Monarchical Reformation amongst us beyond that popular and tumultuous reformation amongst our Neighbours Our's a Counsel their 's an Vproar Our's beginning from the Head their 's from the Feet Ours proceeding in due Order theirs with Confusion Ours countenancing and encouraging the converted Governors of the Church theirs extremely over-awed with averse Power or totally over-born with foul Sacrilege in a word Ours yeelding what the true and happy condition of a Church required their 's hand-over-head taking what they could get for the present †Of Episcopacy §. 5. p. 21. § 2. The manner of our Reformation was such as might reasonably both justify our Church and leave the Church of Rome most inexcusable in the judgment of the whole Catholic Church of Christ our Church condemning those she left no more than needs must And as Dr. More saith courting the Adverse Party to all lawful accommodations if by any means she may gain some Attempering her self to the occasion of the time * Homily for Rogation W. 3. part as our Church's Phrase is in her Homily †V. Cromwell's Letter to the Bishop of Landaff directing him how to proceed in the Reformation Collect. of Records Hist of Ref. l. 3. p. 183. From whence was manifest our Church's freedom from Prejudice and Passion and the humour of Innovation or the Spirit of Contradiction our Church not dividing but upon necessity and then using all lawful and good means to procure such an agreement only as might consist with the good Consciences of her People Wherefore that the Breach might seem no greater than indeed it is and that all probable pretences of Offence as they call it might be taken away was omitted that Suffrage in the Litany From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestible Enormities good Lord deliver us Which Moderations in our Church and in other Reformed Churches the like * V. D. Durell's view of Ref. Ch. p. 180. have left the Romanists the more inexcusable in their dissent especially since as Camden and others relate in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth for about ten years for at least eighteen years saith the Lord Cook few of the Popish Recusants absented themselves from our Churches till Pope Pius the 5th by his Interdictory Bull would have all Communion with us renounced For as long as Schismaticks are not hardned into obstinacy there is a prudential Latitude allowed by the Church delaying her Censures as long as possibly she can without wronging her Government as was de facto practised in England till the tenth year of Queen Elizabeth †Schism guarded p. 396. And admit that P. Paul 4. in his private Letters to Q. Elizabeth did offer to confirm our Liturgy if she would acknowledg his Primacy and the Reformation derived from him and that the same Proposal was confirmed by his Successor Pius 4. tho it had caused sundry ignorant and peevish complaints it ought to be no imputation to us since our Reformation blessed be God is so good and justifiable Insomuch that the Presbyterian Brethren acknowledged * Grand Debate p. 3. Our first Reformers in great wisdom did at that time so compose the Liturgie as to win upon the Papists What was reformed and composed in such great wisdom then is the same still The Inference therefore which may be made is what Bishop Davenant resolved The Papists are bound to be present at the English Divine Service because nothing occurs therein that can be by themselves reproved And if Papists much more Protestants And we rather suppose it the great Glory and excellent Commendation of our Reformation that it is at once so compleat and also so moderate considering how difficult a thing it is especially in matter of Reforming to pare off the Excess and not to cut to the quick to stay at the right point and not over-do because of the lyableness in such cases in declining one extreame to fall into another †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil which usually is the fault of the unwise and the inconsiderate For as the Matters in Religion in which our utmost Zeal is required are unquestionably evident to every Christian Man's notice so the cases in which Moderation is to be exercised are almost infinite and often very intricate Wherefore the use of this Vertue is so universal that as the truest Fortitude is governed by Temperance so where there is most Moderation there is the truest Zeal and which is a better effect than usually is of suddain Calentures by Moderation the Mind is best prepared to find out and determine those Proportions and Measures which are to be observed for the right conduct of our selves and others in our moral and religious Concerns Such Operations suppose also a peculiar power and ability of the understanding and a most excellent prudence Wherefore the wise King said A Man of Vnderstanding is of an excellent Spirit Prov. 17. 27. where the Hebrew phrase is observed to signify also a cool Spirit or temper that being the most excellent disposition to Wisdom Thus in the Life of Pomponius Atticus it was said of him His Moderation gave him great security in troublesome Times procured him Friends kept him considerate and circumspect in all he did that he never over-shot himself with folly passion and precipitancy in Words and Action The like Vertue hath bin the great happiness of our Church of England especially conspicuous in her first Reformation and thus according to an excellent Moderation our Church doth express it self And for this ought we greatly to praise God for that such superstitious and idolatrous Manners as were utterly nought and defaced God's Glory are utterly abolished as they most justly deserved and yet those things that either God was honoured with or his People edified by are decently reteined and in our Church comely practised *
of Women Burial-Service the Gloria Patri to come under the name of Popery Altho by no Instance was it ever made to appear That our Church agrees with the Romanist in any thing contrary to Scripture and the practice of the Primitive Church As she is truly also most remov'd from Fanaticism neither using nor encouraging any Enthusiastic way of Religion nor allowing any resisting of Authority under any Religious Pretences whatsoever Any one may be convinced that no formed Church in the Christian World is more truly Protestant than is the Church of England nor any which all things compared less compromiseth with Rome If they will but consider in our Articles Liturgy Canons Constitutions Practice Oaths of Supremacy c. how firmly our Church preserves and enforceth the Reformation Yea the Canons of 1640 did excellently take care for the suppressing the growth of Popery Canon 3. 6. and also of Socinianism Canon 4. Which Seeds of Socinianism have bin scattered amongst our Sectaries and have of late had great growth amongst them Yet nevertheless if such Friends as they should slip into greater Heresy so long as they are with them in the Schism there is a special respect due to them rather than to the close adherents of the Church of England who because they run not into the madness of their extremes and are not outragious too in that madness they are forward to clamour against our Church it self as Popish and turn their own silly Surmises into powerful Calumnies Neither do those who reproach our Constitution sufficiently call to mind what hath bin done all along since the Reformation by our Kings of England and the great Councils of the Kingdom and the Orders of the Church and the Industry of our Bishops for the suppression of the growth of Popery § 2. But as a sufficient Evidence that our Church according to its establishment doth in no sort favour Popery They must be very disingenuous and wanting to Truth who will not readily acknowledg that the Labours of our Bishops and our Conformable Clergy remain the most impregnable defence of the Reformation For who I pray have more strenuously and constantly opposed the Innovations and immoderate Extravagancies of the Church of Rome than our Bishops and the Learned Men in firm Communion with our Church even since Queen Mary's days when some were Martyrs and Confessors and whose Writings but theirs who have held firm Communion with our Church remain as the constant Bullwark of our Protestant Reformation Wherefore the Romanists keenest displeasure * Immortale odium nunquam sanabile vulnus Ardet adhuc Combos Tentyra Juven Sat. 15. and jealousie hath bin always against the Church of England because from Her they have always received as forcible repulses as any As nothing doth more stir up the anger of a Zealous Enemy than the equal behaviour of those they malign and a moderate carriage doth sometime provoke their sharpest hatred So certainly nothing hath more stir'd up the jealousy of the Romanists than the excellent temper which is observed in our Churche's Constitution 'T is for the sake of this poor Church alone said our most noble Lord Chancellor †that the March 6. 1678. State hath bin so much disturbed It is her Truth and Peace her Decency and Order which they labour to undermine and pursue with so restless a malice And since they do so it will be necessary for us to distinguish between Popish and other Recusants between them that would destroy the whole Flock and them that only wander from it As for those of our Separatists who have sometimes menaged Debates with the Romanists the cunning Adversary commonly lets them alone for how seldom do we see a Romanist write against or oppose a Nonconformist and be in much earnest against him Not merely because he thinks such inconsiderable but because these are doing their Work for them as fast as they can * Hoc Ithacuâ— velit Magno mercentur Atrida Whereas those Contests which have bin menaged upon the Principles of our Church's Reformation have given the Romanists greatest awe and have always exercised their utmost strength § 3. Wherefore those of the Separation who have bin concerned in these Clamours and Surmises of our Church favouring Popery have acted therein as appears first very falsly and then very imprudently in reproaching so excellent a Reformation and by joining with them in their opposing our Church they strengthen the hands of the Romanists whom they pretend to oppose to the great scandal of the Christian Religion and great mischief to the true Protestant Interest Which caused Bishop Morton in his Epistle to the Nonconformists to tell them Beside their notorious Scandals given to the Church of God it self of their breaking the Hedg of Peace and opening the Gap for the wild Bore out of the Romish Forest to enter in and root out that goodly Vine which many Pauls industrious Bishops many Apollo's faithful Martyrs have planted and watered Even as Josephus * notes the Divisions of the Jews laid †Prol. ad bel Jud. them open to their overthrow And by their several Divisions which they help to propagate among us they join with the Romanists in endeavouring to overthrow and destroy our Constitution While they are crumbling into Factions biting and devouring one another a vigilant Adversary who is intent upon his advantage and opportunities may when he spieth his time over-master them with much more ease and less resistance †Bishop Sanderson's Preface to his Sermons Ad rerum momenta cliens seseque daturus Victori And the more unreasonable and vehement they are in their clamours the more they help the Roman Engineer to confound and overturn Therefore Arch-Bishop Whitgift ¶ Arch-Bp Whitgift Answ to the Admon p. 55. See his Letter to Q. Eliz. Fuller's Hist l. 9. now above a hundred years since said I am persuaded you and they do the Pope great good Service and he would not miss you for any thing For what is his desire but to have this Church of England which he hath cursed utterly defaced and discredited to have it by any means over-thrown if not by Foreign Enemies yet by Domestic Dissention And what apter Instruments could he have for that purpose than you who under pretended Zeal overthrow what others have built under colour of Purity seek to bring in Deformity under cloâ—e of Equality would usurp as great Tyranny and Lofty lordliness over your Parishes as ever the Pope of Rome over the whole Church Which also was the judgment of the University of Oxford 1603. Verily these Men are like Sampson 's Foxes they have their heads severed indeed the one sort looking toward the Papacy the other to the Presbytery but they are tied together by the Tails with Fire-brands between them to the injury of the Church Who would ever have thought said Bishop Bancroft 1588 in a Sermon at St. Pauls that we should ever have lived
disposition to swallow all Poysons and are liable to the guilt not only of their first solitary error but all which are consequent thereon whereas those who use a sober examination after they are convinced of one error will be more cautious of others and the truth they come to of choice and judgment is also more praise-worthy and more tenible I should swell this head into too great a bulk if I should enumerate the sundry places wherein our Blessed Lord and his Holy Apostles did stir up and provoke the industry of the Christian Disciples to search discern prove try examine what they received lest at any time they were seduced by false Prophets The same admonitions and method have the ancient Fathers of the Church persued Both which would be endless here to recite Indeed all sorts of perswasions of men seem to confess the necessity of first convincing the reason and judgment of what is to be received as truth And therefore the Romanists use so many motives of credibility to induce belief of their Church in which if once the Proselyte is caught they serve him as the Chaldees did King Zedekiah after they had taken him Captive they put out his Eyes c Caeco judicio imperata facere quantumvis ea blasphema sint atque impia Apol. Eccl. Anglic. §. 138. 2 Kings 25. 7. Where indeed the mystery we are sure is certainly declared and delivered by God there we ought to captivate not only our imaginations but our reasons to the obedience of Faith not staying for a connexion of the parts of the Proposition to be believed by Scientific evidence which Mr Sergeant makes his Sure-footing But where we are not assured of the matter of fact of the Divine Revelation nor otherwise understand the reasons for such an assent No one can put off humane nature so far as to believe what they please d Nullus credit aliquid verum esse quia vult credere id esse verum nam non est in potestate hominis sacere aliquid apparer◠intellectui suo verum quando voluerit Picus Mirandula Indeed it is the great honour of our Church that it doth not testify nor require attestation unto any thing but where some good reason why we do so is sufficiently manifest which right as she maintains toward others so she vindicates the same to her self namely of examining what is offered to her under the venerable name of the Catholick Church and if need be of reforming any abuses or errors within the bounds of its own Discipline and so separating the pretious from the vile which power of examining Doctrines being forbid by the Church of Rome to her Sons seems to prevent the first occasion and means of Reformation e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Eutychianis inter Athanasii opera Consulatur integer Tractatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and renders her even incorrigible in her errors and corruptions and remaining so irreconcilable But some do Object That if we allow a right of private judgment it will be a direct means to establish among us an enthusiastic private Spirit which will rely upon its own judgment to the despising all others and if all may use a private judgment why may they not follow it and profess it Then you open a Window to all Divisions and Heresies and render the Church useless and all her Guides We Answer It is one thing to use our Faculties of discerning in a discreet manner which includes all due Reverence to all those instruments which God and the Church have given us for our direction and conduct and another thing to rely on our own prudence to wrest the Scripture to our own sense as the Council of Trent f Nemo prudentiae suae innixus S. Scripturam ad suos sensus contorqueat Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Decr. 2. speaks which the Church of England first of all detests Article 20. Every private person being here required to hear and obey the publick reason of our Church Which being also clear and true can allow the being searcht into and for that purpose she desires but her Sons to open their own Eyes Wherefore the sober use of our own faculties ought not to be called a private Spirit which judgeth according to the general notices of Truth and Good and the common sense of Mankind and the judgment also of the Church such a Spirit is the Candle of the Lord. Not an evil Spirit nor a Spirit of Innovation nor Dissention nor a Spirit of Pride nor Temptation as many of the Church of Rome blazon it As for the growth of Schisms and Heresies from the use of such a private judgment as the Church allows Which Objection was anciently made against the Christian Religion as of old by Celsus to Origen l. 3. Unto which was answered That where any thing was received which was very excellent such differences were common as among the Philosophers and Jews so among Christians but These now who make the Objection generally those of the Romish Communion yet know that though they carry as well as they can an outward shew of unity to their people they have as great divisions as any are And though indeed the corruption of good things is greatest by the abuse of ill men This ill consequence through the Vice of some ought not to take away the common right of all no more than the contentions which arise from the Laws should be thought to render them dangerous to be proclaimed The Christian Religion of it self is sufficient to keep all from error or vice if all men would comply with its wholsome and pacific Decrees as Arnobius g Quòd si omnes omnino salutaribus ejus pacificisque decretis aurem vellent accommodare paulisper non fastu supercilio Luminis suis potius sensibus quà m illius Comminationibus crederent universus jamdudum orbis mitiora in opera conversis usibus ferri tranquillitate mollissimâ degeret in Concordiam salutarem incorruptis foederum sanctionibus conveniret Arnobius l. 1. long since hath delivered And the Church in observance hereof doth procure her own Peace as much as may be in that all are bound not to publish their private sense to the detriment of publick Peace and by her Censures hath a power of repressing publick Dissenters and in case of doubt arising our Church wisely sends the parties so doubting to their Superiours h Preface concerning the Service of the Church And whereas Gods true Religion is but one the profession of which Article 19. and no other Article 18. is absolutely necessary to the being of Gods Church and therein to our Salvation Blessed be God in our Church there is abundant care taken of Gods Holy Religion both by the Laws of the Kingdom and Church for the instruction and government of its members unto edification and peace and every one may be satisfied in his Conscience and Judgment of the Religion he professeth Yet This